Two things happened on Monday: It was Jack’s birthday and also we won the Saveur Reader’s Choice Best Cooking Blog award! Thank you, thank you, thank you, to all of you who voted for us! As someone who’s not used to winning things, I really didn’t see this coming. I’m shocked and just so flattered.
I realize — I probably should be posting cocktails and cake, but it’s been a heck of a busy week, so today I bring you: Celebration Salad. (Although, stay tuned, I have some yummy birthday carrot cake coming up next week).
But for now, this salad. (Which I think is worth celebrating). It’s fresh, springy, and would be so perfect for easter. I had some gorgeous romanesco, but you could sub cauliflower just as easily. I blanched the romanesco just a bit and tossed it with a lemony dijon dressing along with chickpeas, avocado, eggs, capers and smoked salmon.
Happy Easter!
romanesco & chickpea salad
- a few cups of romanesco florettes
- ½ cup chickpeas
- ½ avocado, sliced
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 2 tablespoons chopped scallions
- handful of sprouts
- lemon zest
- a few tablespoons of chopped dill
- optional: soft boiled or poached eggs
- optional: slices of smoked salmon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ tablespoon sherry or white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon dijon
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
- salt, pepper
- Whisk dressing together, set aside. Remove the garlic clove before using.
- Place the chickpeas in a bowl and toss with a bit of the dressing and an extra pinch of salt.
- In a medium pot of boiling salted water, blanch the romanesco for 1 minute, transfer it to a bowl of ice water. Drain and set aside to dry on a towel. Sprinkle with a little salt.
- Fill your pot with fresh water medium and heat the water to a gentle simmer (just below boiling). Use a slotted spoon to carefully drop the egg in and let it cook for 7-8 minutes. Remove and chill immediately in a bowl with ice water. Let the egg cool then slice off just a bit of the shell from the bottom of the egg. Take a regular spoon and carefully slide it in and around the egg to loosen it from the shell. (Repeat with however many eggs you want).
- While you wait for your eggs to cook, toss the romanesco, chickpeas, capers, scallions, and dill together with the dressing. Plate, then assemble the avocado, smoked salmon and eggs on top along with a handful of sprouts and some lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasonings.
I found this video helpful for peeling soft boiled eggs.
such a pretty salad – with smoked salmon and romanesco?? salad celebration sounds just about right to me…
Congratulations!
And this salad is beautiful. I can’t wait to try it.
I’ve never used romanesco before, but I love the way it looks, its beautiful! Congratulations on the best cooking blog award, I certainly agree 🙂
Congrats on your award! It’s well-deserved and I love seeing Austin bloggers represented 😉
Quick question–how happy are you with the marble counter tops? I personally don’t mind a few stains here and there but as someone who also cooks a lot, I ended up going with quartz for resale value even though marble is what I wanted. Just wanted to know for my next house. Thanks!
I love them, but marble isn’t for everyone. (Like you, in a previous house I renovated a kitchen with quartz – it was so low maintenance!).
I have a few huge cutting boards and I cook a little “neater” than I used to. Not a big deal really, it was just a matter of changing a few habits. Stains aren’t as big of a problem as etching – you can’t splash lemon juice (of all things), vinegars, or anything acidic. If you spill red wine and clean it up it’s not a problem…
You deserved the award!!!!! You have the best one!!!
Congratulations! Well deserved.
This salad sounds fantastic 🙂
Yaay! Congratulations, very well-deserved! I love this combination of romanesco, avocado, capers, and dill and can really taste the brightness. Spring on a plate. 🙂
Congratulations on such a well-deserved win! Your lovely healthy recipes and gorgeous photos are always a treat to read.
Looks so yummy!
Big fan of your blog; recipes, writing, photos, the lot!
I don’t know you personally but I really was thrilled for you when I saw you won on the Saveur site – a truly deserved win. Congratulations. X
(also, the cover shot for this recipe has the most amazing colours! gorgeous)
Thanks Jade! means so much…
Congrats! I have been a regular reader here and you totally deserved the award! 🙂
Love your colorful and healthy recipes!
This sounds amazing! I am on a huge egg kick right now (same as you – 8 minutes does the job perfectly!) and love romanesco. As soon as I hunt some down, I’ll be making this!
I’m a bit (too) obsessed with eggs 🙂 breakfast, lunch dinner…
Gorgeous! I’ve been on a mission to find romanesco, but haven’t had any luck so far…
Congratulations on the award!!
It is hard to find – I saw it one week at our farmers market, gone the next…
Congrats! And these pictures are stunning.
xx,
Elizabeth
http://www.adrian-james.com
Congrats again lady, so well deserved. How exciting.
This salad looks just incredible. I love those amazing colors. I still haven’t ever had romanesco. I think I may need to change that ASAP.
Thanks Beth – I think it was at our farmers market for 1 day, I nabbed it up quickly!
Congratulations! Your recipes are always so fresh, clean and simple. You totally deserve it! Enjoy it!
Congratulations! How wonderful and well-deserved. And that salad takes my breath away- so pretty! Those romanesco florets are just… magical.
thanks Christina!
Such a pretty salad! The romanesco pieces look like baby artichokes. 🙂
(but so much quicker to prepare!) 🙂
Waaaaaant!! This salad is full of an insane amount of goodness. Love it!
Congrats! It is SO deserved. Your pictures make me so happy.
thank you! 🙂